Bid tv - slightly suspect?

33pelter

Hope this is the right place to post this thread, it's kind of a follow up and add-on to a previous thread I had.
I know they have received official complaints about overpricing stuff before dropping it and such but here's a few issues I would like to raise and see if anyone knows anymore about it:

1. Can they really charged £7.99 P&P (or £10.99 P&P to here in Northern Ireland - still UK) if it's only a sticker sheet and only costs them £3 max (cost of someone to wrap it up, use materials to pack and postage cost)?

2. Can they say some of the things they do, examples being:
- "We paid alot more for this" - the middle-aged guy says that with almost every item when it clearly isn't/can't be true?

3. Tell the stories which are obvious lies about how they paid so much more for the same item or know someone who did (difficult to prove but after 100s of items it's bound to not be possible?)

Just a few thoughts, don't use the channel much as I have to add on that £11 for postage and £1.50 for the phonecall or look around their website for ages, even a megadrop turns out quite expensive! Thoughts, opinions and broadcasting rules on this subject much appreciated

jamespir

ive brought stuff from them and its brilliant

and some times worth more than what you would pay for in a shop

McKneff

I too think its a rip off P&P although a lot of what they sell is brilliant, its the postage that puts me off. And the fact that it costs £1.50 to make the phone call, and you cant order 2 things at the same time, you have to make a second call (at £1.50) Not sure about the 2 x P & P though.

mr.savage

£1.99 for the phone call + £7.99 for post and packing = £9.98
before you pay for their overpriced goods.
When my OH wants to buy something of them, I always google it, and nine times out of ten find it cheaper elsewhere.
Even if the basic price isn't cheaper, you don't have to pay that £9.98.

33pelter

jamespir wrote: »

ive brought stuff from them and its brilliant

and some times worth more than what you would pay for in a shop

I did buy a regatta set of waterproofs for a total £18, each piece is £8 in my department store but they're rubbish quality so think this is worth it, very rare tho!

McKneff wrote: »

I too think its a rip off P&P although a lot of what they sell is brilliant, its the postage that puts me off. And the fact that it costs £1.50 to make the phone call, and you cant order 2 things at the same time, you have to make a second call (at £1.50) Not sure about the 2 x P & P though.

I sent them a letter and emailed them asking why it's so dear and £3 dearer to NI! Also asked if any combined P&P?
Can web bid for free but its hard!

UK2010

33pelter wrote: »

Can web bid for free but its hard!

Web biddings simple, it's exactly the same as ebay, don't see whats hard about that?

It's simple with this program, add on the cost of postage and see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere, if so buy it from the other place if not buy it from them. The web biddings simple. Look on their site, Google the lowest price and bid that or below work out any difference in postage from anywhere on Google and their postage and adjust your bid to match. If it's goes higher web biddings cost you nothing if it went lower you've got it!

mjm3346

33pelter wrote: »

Hope this is the right place to post this thread, it's kind of a follow up and add-on to a previous thread I had.
I know they have received official complaints about overpricing stuff before dropping it and such but here's a few issues I would like to raise and see if anyone knows anymore about it:

1. Can they really charged £7.99 P&P (or £10.99 P&P to here in Northern Ireland - still UK) if it's only a sticker sheet and only costs them £3 max (cost of someone to wrap it up, use materials to pack and postage cost)?

2. Can they say some of the things they do, examples being:
- "We paid alot more for this" - the middle-aged guy says that with almost every item when it clearly isn't/can't be true?

3. Tell the stories which are obvious lies about how they paid so much more for the same item or know someone who did (difficult to prove but after 100s of items it's bound to not be possible?)

Just a few thoughts, don't use the channel much as I have to add on that £11 for postage and £1.50 for the phonecall or look around their website for ages, even a megadrop turns out quite expensive! Thoughts, opinions and broadcasting rules on this subject much appreciated

1. Yes, the price is clearly displayed they can charge just about anything they like.
2 + 3. Yes they can be true.
i) sometimes a loss leader to get you in for other items (and they get a fair number of calls with no purchase so they have profit there to set against possible loss on an item)
ii) they really did pay more for the items but call and postage costs still turn them a profit.
iii) they purchased one of the item at a high price and all the rest at a lower one that makes the statement that they paid more for it true and still makes a profit.

Their job is to sell and they do it quite well. I would not say they are any worse then the others (jewellery so many channels because the margins are so big)

UK2010

Tbh I've Googled a lot of their prices, many times they are they lowest once they get to the final price. I think they sell a lot below cost and make arond £4 or £5 on the postage/call cost etc. I saw a Sony Vaio go for £1 last Saturday, with the postage that would have cost £8.99 in total! If only I was sat infront of my comp with my finger over the bid button. It would have been impossible to call as they went in 2 or 3 seconds.

33pelter

UK2010 wrote: »

Tbh I've Googled a lot of their prices, many times they are they lowest once they get to the final price. I think they sell a lot below cost and make arond £4 or £5 on the postage/call cost etc. I saw a Sony Vaio go for £1 last Saturday, with the postage that would have cost £8.99 in total! If only I was sat infront of my comp with my finger over the bid button. It would have been impossible to call as they went in 2 or 3 seconds.

same with guitar hero!
that's one of the only positives I think, it sort of rewards their most common customers.

jimkenyon

Buy via the website and then you don't have to pay for the phone call.

charliepink_2

I have bought a few things off Bid Tv/Pricedrop Tv in the past and some of the things were a lot cheaper than other places but i think they should adjust their postage accordingly yes if you have something small then pay less postage and something bulky the higher postage. I have also found that if i have ordered 2 or more things in 1 day i have been charged double postage which i found a bit unfair as it is going to the same address so just combine the postage. Also when the VAT was at 15% they lowered the P&P but within a few weeks it was back up to the original price again!